A Strange Sense of Optimism
by felineofoz
Summary: As far as Link Larkin was concerned, this was the worst night of his life. Penny is determined to show him how it could be worse. Slight one-sided Pink.


**A/N: I set up a challenge for me and my friend Izzyv1o. We had to assign the other person a fandom, and they had to write a non- canon pairing for it. I gave her Batman Begins/The Dark Knight and she gave me Hairspray. This fic is the result of that challenge.**

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Link Larkin had always considered himself to be a 'glass is half full' kind of guy, but as he stood awkwardly around, alone, during the prom, he realized sometimes, there was never an upside to a situation.

"_I'm sorry Link," _she had said. _"But let's just face it, we're headed on two different paths. It's just not working anymore. I'm sorry."_

And just like that, she was gone. Oh, he still saw her. He was her dance partner on the show, after all. But everyone noticed the change. Link had been so embarrassed the day Corny pulled him aside to talk about something, and Link had jumped to the conclusion that it was about how awkward things were between him and Tracy, so he had sputtered something about how he and Tracy had broken up and about he was trying to make it not awkward. Corny had just looked at him like he was insane, and said something about how he was wondering if Link wanted to sing at Prom, or if he wanted Brad to sing instead so he could go with Tracy. And then, Link had been stupid enough to blurt out that Brad should sing.

So here he was, alone at the prom, with Brad singing, and all the happy couples dancing. Tracy had gone to Prom, but she had gotten one of Seaweed's friends to take her. Link mentally face- palmed. Why hadn't he thought to ask anyone else? Why had Tracy decided to break up with him right before Prom anyway? How rude was that?

He glanced at the dance floor. Tracy was dancing with Seaweed's friend. Link smiled in spite of himself. He was glad Tracy was happy. She waved exuberantly back at him. Link gave her a small wave back. Tracy was a good person, and she had been right. In the end, they just weren't right for each other.

"Hey Link!" a very happy voice piped up from behind him. Link turned around. Penny was chewing on a piece of gum, as usual. Her smile was wide, and it lit up her entire face.

Link had never really noticed how pretty Penny was, in her special way. She was tall and thin, with honey- blonde hair that was out of its usual pigtails. Instead, it was down, framing her angelic face. Link supposed she was so beautiful because she was so happy all the time.

"Hi Penny," he replied, taking another sip of his punch. "You having a good time?"

Penny's smile grew even wider. "Yep!" she chirped. "I was actually just wondering if you wanted to dance?"

Link realized that he must have looked confused, because she immediately added, "I thought you looked kinda lonely, so I asked Seaweed if it was okay if I danced the next one with you."

Link nodded. "We can dance," he answered. Penny eagerly grabbed his hand and led him to the dance floor. Penny was an awkward dancer, but she was clearly having so much fun that Link could help but smile. She was so selfless too. And kind. And smart. And... oh god. Link had to stop thinking about her like that. She was Seaweed's girlfriend, not his. She hadn't asked him to dance because she 'liked' him, she asked him so he could have a fun time. Link's expression changed from one of happiness to sadness in a manner of seconds.

"You really miss her, don't you?" Penny asked, stopping in the middle of a dance move.

Link stopped too. "Uh, yeah. I do," he awkwardly replied. He did miss her, just a… little less now. No! Bad thoughts! People around them were still dancing, but they were just standing there. It was even more awkward than standing around the punch bowl.

"I know it must stink, but it could be worse," Penny attempted to comfort him.

"Really?" Link asked. "How could it be worse?"

"There could be clowns," Penny replied, completely serious.

"Wait... what?" Link asked. "How do clowns connect to this?"

"It's a simple fact of life that everything is worse with clowns," Penny shrugged. "So, when life stinks, like when my mom threw me out, I just think that there could be clowns and things don't seem as bad anymore."

"Bu… but why clowns?" Link asked, confused.

"Clowns are creepy," Penny said, completely deadpan.

"Alright then," Link replied, still not entirely sure if he understood where she was coming from. The song ended, and Penny smiled at him again, causing his heart to pound so loudly he was surprised she couldn't hear it.

"See ya Link!" Penny said. "Remember, there could be clowns."

Link nodded. "All right Penny," he said. She ran off to join Seaweed, and Link retreated back to the punchbowl.

This hadn't been the prom he had wanted. He had wanted Tracy on his arm, and the chance to dance the night away.

Instead, he had ended up alone, and with a growing little crush on his ex- girlfriend's best friend.

Yet somehow he understood what Penny meant now. No matter how life got you down, (like a lousy prom night), things could always been worse.

There could be clowns.


End file.
